First You Dream, Then You Die

Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho" is on of the best films ever made in my opinion and I often believe that some things should just be left as they are (the remake was utterly pointless in my opinion). And so I was in two minds as to whether I should watch Bates Motel. I wrongly assumed that it would be set in the 1940's/50's to tie in with the original movie but to my surprise it is set firmly in the 21st Century, which is by no means a bad thing. Brit Freddie Highmore is really good as young Norman, though he looks older than the 17 year old that he's playing (he was 21), and Vera Fermiga makes for a very hot looking Mom. There are some nice retro touches, for example Mrs Bates drives a lovely looking classic Mercedes, bit of a nod to the original maybe. First time viewing for me, hopefully I will stick with the rest of series 1.

BATES MOTEL "First You Dream, Then You Die (PILOT)" Advanced Screening Review Courtney Garbera

As the pilot episode of A&E's Bates Motel drew to a close, I actually dreaded not knowing what was going to happen next. I wanted it to continue and had hoped that a bonus episode would close my night out. But, alas, I must wait with the masses to find out how this contemporary prequel to Psycho unfolds.

Starting out with a death, Bates Motel automatically introduces us to Norma and Norman Bates (played by Vera Farmiga and Freddie Highmore, respectively). Young Norman is dragged by his mother to a dingy motel in what appears to be a small and quiet town. Their relationship isn't inappropriate, yet the lingering looks and constant touching make this mother/son relationship borderline disturbing. The chemistry that Farmiga and Highmore have is what will definitely make this show a much watch, wanting to see how this doomed relationship plays out on our television.

I do not wish to reveal much more of what happens in the pilot, for fear of being taken out by a sniper hired by A&E. However, I can say that this show will most likely be a critical darling, yet may struggle to find an audience. Disturbing and mysterious, this show evokes Poe as much as it does Hitchcock, a show the masses may not appreciate. I wait eagerly for March 25th, when I can see the second chapter of this intriguing prequel. Well played, A&E. Well played.

Bates Motel: 'First You Dream, Then You Die' (2013)

Rating: B+

A&E's "Bates Motel" mini-series is basically going to be re-working PSYCHO IV. If you've seen that film then you know it shows what was going on with Mrs. Bates and Norman before the events in the original Alfred Hitchcock film. While that prequel wasn't perfect, it at least put a nice wrap-around story to the original film.

This first episode introduces us to Norma (Vera Farmiga) and her 17-year-old son Norman (Freddie Highmore). As the episode opens we see Norman finding his father dead and a short time later he moves with his mother to a new home with a hotel that she bought. From here we see Norman try to become friends with people at school and try to connect with others but it's clear that his mother wants him for her own.

It's clear that this episode was just meant to make the viewer become familiar with the characters as this here is the major selling point. There's really nothing story wise that really jumps out at you and I think it might be fair to say that there were a few too many moments that weren't all that believable. This includes Norman being accepted by a cute group of girls at school. This here just seemed like a stretch especially when you consider that this film takes place in current times and just look at how Norman is dressed. Highly unlikely he's going to be accepted. There's also a major twist that happens to mother near the middle of the picture, which was a bit of a stretch but I certainly won't ruin it for people. Still, there's no question that what is here was enough to keep me interested throughout the running time and it left me wanting more, which is the most important thing. Farmiga is really good in her role of mother and I really loved the more tender side she shows but the evil that's lying beneath is hinted at and the actress appears perfect for certain events that should follow. I also thought Highmore was extremely believable in the role of Norman and it seems like he's going to do the part justice.

The setup for this show is great and the dark, horrorific tone of this show has me excited for the episodes to come. The casting of Vera Farminga as Norma Bates was perfect. Can not wait to see where Bates Motel goes from here!

Bates Motel offers a good deal of things to be grumbled about: setting the backstory to Alfred Hitchcock's classic Psycho in contemporary surroundings would be one. Embroidering the 1960 film noir's rather complete story in the first place, apparently for no other purpose than NBCUniversal holding the rights for it, another. Those I could reconcile myself to, but the programme falling prey to one of the most prevalent faults in present-day television is what disappointed and irked me, considering that however hostile you may be to the whole idea of this production, the Psycho 'universe' holds a potential for engrossing television.

This metaphorical blow to the face of viewers asking for more than just diversion I'm referring to is, of course, Bates Motel passing up the prospect of a pilot that properly establishes characters and situations in favour of one that hurls action and violence and surprises at its audience, regardless of that being most incongruous at such an early stage, in a desperate attempt to secure financially adequate ratings. There is justification for the existence of a standard storytelling formula involving a gradual build-up to a climax and, whereas someone as Alfred Hitchcock can use a non- observance of that practice - murdering his film's presumed lead early on - for a virtuoso plot twist, a less Hitchcockian director such as Tucker Gates or three less Hitchcockian writers such as Anthony Cipriano, Carlton Cuse, and Kerry Ehrin might not be able to.

Why am I saying 'might not'? They were not. The rape/murder scene taking place at about the halfway point of "First You Dream, Then You Die" is unfitting and unnecessary on various levels and poorly executed to boot. It did commence appealingly, but as soon as Keith Summers, the former proprietor of what now trades under the name of Bates Motel, stops by for a late visit that turns out not be for coffee and cake, the entire sequence goes down the tube. Honestly, if the writers decided to equip this man with a moustache to bring out a resemblance between him and Hitler, it would be compatible with the rest of his character in every respect, since he is depicted as quite the incarnation of evil. - Isn't it peculiar that I've never come to meet such a person in real life, yet I stumble across them all the time when watching sub-par films or television?

Be that as it may, this amalgamation of Adolf Hitler, Osama Bin Laden, and Anders Behring Breivik then begins to abuse Norma, something that Gates and the writing squad were, for whatever reason, keen to show on screen, and the audience is put through to what feels as long as a minute of staged rape that is ultimately put an end to through a slightly tardy deus ex machina in the form of Norman. Adolf Bin Breivik is laid out, mother and son proceed to handcuff him (instead of using the manacles to bind him to the table, which would prevent any further bother), and Norma forgets to be angry at her son for having sneaked out of the house beforehand, even though he could have deus ex machinaed much more timely had he stayed. *mutters insults at the idiocy of everything that has occurred up until now*

As Norman simply leaves for a moment - making himself a sandwich or something, I have no clue Adolf Bin Breivik gets back up, which causes Norma to knife him to death, which in turn leaves the Bates family with two or three fairly urgent items on their to-do list. The approach that is arrived at is not to make the incident public (although Rape/Murder Motel would have been a more thrilling title for this programme, if you ask me) and the outcome is probably the first brick in Norman becoming a little mad sometimes later in his life.

There's more to "First You Dream, Then You Die" than this one sequence, but it clearly represents the general problems of Bates Motel. Intriguing moments – the foreshadowing in lines such as »As long as we're together, nothing bad can really happen.« for example, together with Norma and Norman's odd relationship or Norman's discovery and the final scene somehow related to it – can be counted on the fingers of one hand, and despite Freddie Highmore and Vera Farmiga acting very well, the pedestrian writing impedes the develop-meant of any connection to them.

Twelve cabins, nine notations: • Teenage girls, do not offer a boy you've only just met a ride, he could be a serial – oh, wait… • Selfies within the first ten minutes– Hitchcock would have been proud. • »I thought I was going to study, but they took me to a party.« – Extraterrestrials having abducted you would be a more credible excuse than that, Norman. Seriously, this young man needs to get his s h i t together. • Parents of adolescents ought to show their progeny this episode, as it teaches them a lesson on what will happen if they secretly leave their homes. Their mothers will be raped. • "The air in Arizona" – From now on, Deputy Zack Shelby will only be known as 'Bad Pun Cop' in my reviews. • Why are the policemen switching on the blue lights when driving away from the motel? And, perhaps more importantly, why did they even go there? If there were indications to the disappearance of Mr Summers, I assume they'd ask some questions. • Don't cadavers have a certain distinguishable odour to them? And wouldn't a Sheriff smell one that is lying right next to him? • It seemed to me as if Norman was not vomiting but spitting out a mouthful of orange juice. Well, that is the least of Bates Motel's flaws, I guess. • Is it normal for oxygen tanks to look like decorated metal umbrellas?